Car door



May 4, 1937.

c. E. EKLIND 5 sheet's-sheet 1 Filed Sept. 15, 1954 'f/v VENTOE- CARL E 5/4, 0

CARL [KL/ND ATTY c. E. EKLIND CAR DOOR war Filed Sept. 15, 1934 May 4, 1937.

C. E. EKLIND May 4, 1937.

CAR DOOR Filed Sept. 15-, 1934 Q 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 C. E. EKLIND May 4," 1937.

CAR DOOR Filed Sept. 15, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTX Patented May 4, 1937 PATENT OFFICE CAR DOOR Carl E. Eklind, Chicago, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Youngstown Steel Door Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application September 15,1934, Serial No. 744,113

'21 Claims. (01. 2o--22) This invention relates to doors and concerns itself primarily with sliding doors adapted particularly for refrigerator cars.

It is an object of this invention to provide slid- 5 ing doors for railway cars which shall cooperate with the car side around the door opening therein to effectively seal the opening against the ingross and egress of air when the dooris in closed position.

10 A further object is to provide doors for refrigerator cars movable longitudinally'p'arallel to the car sides between open and closed position and efi'ectively sealing door openings provided in the car sides in the latter position.

15 A further object is to provide sliding doors for refrigerator cars cooperating with sealing strips for effectively sealingdoor openings provided in the sides of said cars, the doors being so designed as'to be released from engagement with said sealing strips by an initial straight vertical movement or longitudinal movement parallel to the sides ofsaid'car.

A further object is'to provide sliding doors for refrigerator cars in which the doors when in closed position are suspended to establish engagement with sealing strips whereby to seal door openings provided in the sides of said cars.

A further object is to provide sliding doors for refrigerator cars which areeleva-ted in closed position to engage sealing strips carried by the doors or cars for sealing door openings provided in said cars.

A further object is to provide sliding doors for refrigerator cars, the doors being rectangular 351 in shape and provided with inclined surfaces engageable withcorrespo-ndingly inclined surfaces provided on the cars and cooperable with sealing strips carried by the doors or cars in the final closing movement of said doors and disengage- 40- able from said sealing strips in the initial opening movement of said doors.

'Other objects of this invention will become clear as the description thereof proceeds. v

In the drawings forming part of this speciieficationr Figure 1 is a partialelevation of a railway car showing a-door embodying the instant invention mounted upon a side of the car;

' Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2-2 0 of Figure 1;

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are fragmentary horizontal sections taken on lines 3-3, 4-4 and 5- -5' respectively of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a horizontal section taken on line a 6-6 of Figure 1;

Figure '7 is a view similar to Figure l sho-wing a modified form of the invention;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a further modified form of the invention;

Figure 9 is a vertical section taken on line 9-9 of Figure 7;

Figure 10 is a vertical section taken on line Ill-I0 of Figure 8;

Figure 11 is a horizontal section taken on line l|-|l of Figure '7;

Figure 12 is a horizontal section taken on line l2f2 of Figure '7;

Figure 13 is a horizontal section taken on line l3|3 of Figure 7; and

Figure 14 is a horizontal section taken on line I'd- M of Figure 8.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, the numeral 10 designates a portion of a car side of a railway house car preferably of the refrigerator type. The side In is consequently of insulated construction which may be of any desired or conventional form. An opening it is formed inthe car side, the upper margin of which is defined by a header 12. The lower margin of the door opening is defined by the floor 13 supported at its outer margin upon a subsill M which in turn is carried by a main sill ii. The front vertical margin of the door opening I l is defined by means of a post IE, while the rear vertical margin of said opening is defined by a post H.

The door opening I I is adapted to be closed by means ofa sliding door Hi supported for movement between open and closed positions upon a track 19 secured to the sill l5 by means of a plurality of track brackets 28. The door l8 comprises an insulated body portion 2| the inner face of which is designated by the numeral 22 and the outer metallic sheathing 23 flanged as indicated at 24, 25 and 26 was to overlie the upper and front and rear edges of the body portion 21 The metallic sheathing 23 is extended downwardly below the'lower horizontal edge of the body portion 2| and may be provided with an inwardly extending horizontal flange '21 disposed in spaced relation to the lower edge of the body portion. Lifting mechanism comprising briefly roller retainers 28 and 29 connected for simultaneous operation by a bar 30 and carrying rollers 3i and 32 is disposed in the space between the lower edge of the portion 2| of the door and the horizontal flange 21 of the outer sheathing. The roller retainers 28 and 29 are journaled in the door as indicated at 3'3 and 34 in horizontally offset relationship to the axles and 36 upon which the rollers 3| and 32 are mounted. An operating lever 31 secured preferably to the roller retainer 28 is utilized to actuate the lift mechanism in order to effect elevation of the door.

The upper margin of the door is retained against disengagement from the car side by means of a retaining plate 38 disposed in overlapping engagement with said margin of the door while the lower margin of the door is maintained against accidental disengagement from the car by means of the interlocking relationship between a hook shaped member 39 provided on the door and the depending leg 40 of the track l9.

It is essential, particularly in the case of a refrigerator car, to provide an effective seal around the margins of the door opening in order to prevent the ingress and egress of air into and from the car. The instant invention contemplates such a seal for the. door opening I l and to this end the header I2 is formed with a shoulder 4| which, as best illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings, is preferably inclined downwardly and outwardly from the car. Similarly the subsill I4 is formed with a downwardly and outwardly inclined shoulder 42. At the front margin of the door opening the post [5 is rabbeted as indicated at 43 in order to provide a shoulder 44. At the rear margin of the door opening the post 11 is formed with a shoulder 45 which is preferably inclined outwardly and forwardly as indicated in Figure 4 of the drawings. Sealing strips 46, 41, 48 and 49, preferably composed of sponge rubber, are secured respectively to the. upper, lower, front and rear shoulders. One form of securing means is illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings and comprises strips of canvas, such as 50, overlying each of the sealing strips and fastened to the car side by means of metallic plates 5| and-52.

The door l8 and preferably the insulated body portion thereof is provided with shoulders which in the closed and lowered position of the door engage the sealing strips in order to effectively seal the door opening. An inwardly and upwardly inclined shoulder 53 is provided adjacent the upper edge of the door and extends inwardly from the inner face 22 of the door. A downwardly and outwardly inclined shoulder 54 extending outwardly from the inner face of the door is formed adjacent the lower edge of the door. The front edge of the door provides a shoulder 55 while adjacent the rear edge of the door an inwardly and rearwardly directed shoulder 56 is formed.

Figures 1 to 4 inclusive of the drawings illustrate the door I8 in closed position and in effective sealing engagement with the sealing strips provided around the door opening. In order to move the door to its open position the door lock indicated as a whole by the numeral 57 is released. The free end of the operating lever 3'! is depressed whereupon the door is elevated so as to disengage the upper and lower shoulders 53 and 54 from the sealing strips 46 and 41. The. elevating movement of the door disposes the weight thereof upon the rollers 3| and 32 whereupon the door may readily be moved to open position. Upon release of the operating lever 31 in such position the door 'will gravitate downwardly into frictional engagement with the supporting track I9, thereby relieving the rollers of the weight of the door. To move the door to its closed position it is again elevated and supported upon the rollers 3| and 32 whereupon it is moved until engagement between the shoulders 55 and 56 of the door and the sealing strips 48 and 49 is established. The door is then lowered upon release of the operating lever 31 and as it gravitates downwardly the shoulders 53 and 54 provided on the door will engage the sealing strips 46 and. 47. In the event that effective engagement between the. shoulders adjacent the front and rear edges of the door and the sealing strips 48 and 49 is not established, the opening and closing mechanism indicated in its entirety by the numeral 58 may be resorted to in order to force the door to fully closed position.

While it is possible to establish frictional engagement between the flange 21 and the track I9 by the lowering movement of the door, it is preferred that the door be suspended in its closed position. This suspension is obtained by the cooperation between the upper margin of the door and the shoulder 46 and retaining plate 38. Outward movement of the door is precluded in the closed position thereof at the upper margin of the door by means of the cooperation between embossments 59 and 60 formed respectively in the outer sheathing and in the retaining plate. Outward movement of the lower margin of the door is prevented by the engagment between a plate member 6| secured at sill I5 and a cooperating plate member 62 secured to the outer sheathing 23 of the door.

It will be observed that the sliding movement of the door is at all times substantially longitudinally parallel to the car side and that the door is maintained within the outer sheathing of the car side. For this latter purpose a portion of the car side 63 adjacent the door opening is of reduced thickness providing a recessed portion adapted to receive the door in its open position.

A modified form of the invention is illustrated in Figures 7, 9, 11, i2 and 13 of the drawings. In this embodiment of the invention the car adjacent the door opening II is provided with the shoulders 64, 65, 66 and 61 illustrated in Figures 9 and 11 of the drawings. Sealing strips 68, 69, 10 and H are secured to said shoulders as clearly indicated in Figure 7 of the drawings. As clearly indicated at 12 in Figure '7 of the drawings, the shoulder 4 is inclined downwardly and longitudinally from the front margin of the door opening, while the shoulder as indicated at 13 is inclined longitudinally and upwardly from the front margin of the door opening.

A door 14 is utilized to close the door opening. The door 14 is provided with hangers T5 and I6 embodying rollers T! and '18 adapted to roll upon a supporting track '19 secured to the sill l5 by means of a plurality of track brackets 88. The upper portion of the door is maintained against accidental engagement in the car side by means of a retaining plate 8|, while the lower portion of the door is maintained against such disengagement from the car side by the interengagement between the hook shaped lugs 82 and 83 provided on the hangers 15 and i6 and the depending leg 84 formed on the track 19.

The door 74 is of the straight sliding type and embodies an insulated body portion. 85 and an outer metallic sheathing 86; The body portion of the door adjacent the upper edge thereof is providedwith an upwardly and inwardly inclined shoulder extending inwardly from the inner face 88 of the door. Adjacent the lower edge thereof the body portion 85 is provided with a downwardly and inwardly inclined shoulder 89 extending inwardly from the inner face of the door. It will be observed that the shoulder 8! lies above and confronts the shoulder 64, while the shoulder 89 lies below and confronts the shoulder ,65 in the closed position "of the door. The front edge of the door provides a shoulder 99 and an inwardly and rearwardly inclined shoulder BI is formed on the door adjacent the rear edge thereof. It will be apparent from Figure 7 of the drawings that the shoulder 81 of the door is inclined similarly to the shoulder 64. provided upon the car side and that the shoulder 89 formed on the door is inclined similarly to the shoulder 65 provided on the car side. I

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the shoulders formed on the door will in the closed position thereof engage the sealing strips provided around the door opening in order to effectively seal the door opening. In view of the inclination of the cooperating shoulders adjacent the upper and lower edges of the doorengagement between the shoulders 81 and 89 and thesealing strips 68 and 69 will occur in the final longitudinal sliding movement of the door to closed position. The sealing strip-s will thus offer no. resistance to the sliding movement of the door either toward open or closed position while the door will be effectively wedged in closed position to maintain proper engagement between the shoulders on the door and the sealing strips.

I Embossments 92 and 93 are provided respectively in the outer sheathing 86 and the retaining plate 8| adjacent the upper portion of the rearvertical margin of the door and have engagement in the closed position of the door. The above mentioned engagement between the door and the sealing strips is further maintained by means of the interengagement between the members 94 and 95 secured respectively to the side sill I5 and the metallic sheathing 86 of the door; A further embodiment'of the invention is illustrated in Figures 8, 10 and 14 of the drawings. In this embodiment the car side Ill is provided with an upwardly and outwardly inclined shoulder 96 above the door opening II to which a sealing strip 91 is secured. Below the door open ing a downwardly and inwardly inclined shoulder 98 is provided on the car side. The construction of the car side adjacent the vertical margins of the door opening is the same as the construction of the car side illustrated in Figures 8 and 11 of the drawings.

A door 99 is utilized to close the door opening. This door comprises an insulated body portion I510 and an outer metallic sheathing NH and is supported for sliding movement upon a track I02 secured to the side sill I5 by means of a plurality of brackets 88 through the medium of hangers I03 and I04. The hangers are provided with rollers I05 and I06 adapted to roll upon the track I02 when the door is moved between open and closed positions. portion of the door from the car side is prevented by the interengagement between the hook Disengagement of the lower door is formed thereon adjacent the lower edge thereof.

In the closed position of the door the shoulder I I lies below the shoulder 96 provided on the car side while the shoulder I II of the door lies below the shoulder 98 provided on the car side. To obtain engagement between the shoulders I I0 and III and the sealing strips 91 and 98 when the door is in closed position an upward and elevating movement is imparted to the door. As the door approaches its closed position projections I I2 and I I3 engage and ride up the convex surfaces H6 and H5 of cams H6 and Ill carried by the car side. The door is thus elevated in order to bring the shoulders H0 and III into effective sealing engagement with the sealing strips 9'! and 98 on the car side and at the same time dispose the rollers Hi5 and I06 of the hangers above the track I02 so that the door is frictionally supported in its closed position. Inasmuch as the elevation of the door occurs in the final closing movement thereof, the sealing strips offer no resistance to the closing movement of the door. Similarly the projections H2 and H3 are disengaged in the cams H6 and II! upon initial movement of the door toward open position thereby'releasing the door shoulders from the sealing strips and permitting unimpeded movement of the door toward open position.

It is apparent that numerous changes and modifications in the details of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art. It is intended, therefore, that all such modifications and changes be comprehended within this invention, which is to be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a railway house car having a door opening in the side thereof, shoulders provided around said opening, a door slidable longitudinally parallel to said car between open and closed positions, shoulders provided on said door disposed in confronting relationship to said first mentioned shoulders in the closed position of said door and sealing means interposed between and engaging said confronting shoulders in the closed position of said door, the cooperating confronting shoulders above and below said opening being inclined longitudinally of said car.

2. A sliding car door for refrigerator cars comprising an insulated body portion, a metallic outer sheathing securedto said body portion, said sheathing extending below the lower edge of said body portion and anti-frictional supporting mechanism for said door disposed between the lower edge of said body portion and said metallic sheathing.

3. A sliding car door for refrigerator cars comprising an insulated body portion, a metallic 'outer sheathing secured to said body portion,

said sheathing extending below the lower edge of said body portion and antifrictional supporting-mechanism for said door disposed between the lower edge ofsaid body portion and said metallic sheathing, said mechanism being capable of elevating said door relative to said car.

4. In a railway house car having a door opening in a side thereof and a track, shoulders provided on said car side above and below said opening, compressible sealing means disposed upon said shoulders, a sliding door for closing said opening, shoulders provided on said door confronting said first mentioned shoulders I in the closed position of said door, said door in its final closing movement moving downwardly, said door shoulders engaging and compressing said sealing means during such movement to seal the upper and lower margins of said door opening, means for elevating and supporting said door for movement upon said track and means for sealing the vertical margins of said door opening.

5. In a railway house oar having a door opening in a side thereof and a track, downwardly and outwardly inclined shoulders provided on said car side above and below said opening, compressible sealing means disposed upon said shoulders, a sliding door for closing said opening, shoulders provided on said door confronting said first mentioned shoulders in the closed position of said door, means secured to said car overlapping said door, said door in its final closing movement moving downwardly, said door shoulders engaging and compressing said sealing means during such movement to seal the upper and lower margins of said door opening and said means engaging said door whereby to suspend said door between said upper shoulder on the car side and said means, means for elevating and supporting said door for movement upon said track and means for sealing the vertical margins of said door opening.

6. In a refrigerator car having a side formed with a door opening and a track secured thereto adjacent said opening, shoulders provided above and below said opening, compressible sealing means disposed upon said shoulders, a sliding door for closing said opening, said door comprising an insulated body portion and a metallic sheathing extending below the lower edge of said body portion, said body portion having shoulders confronting said first mentioned shoulders in the closed position of said door lifting and supporting mechanism for said door including anti-frictional elements engageable upon said track, said mechanism being secured to said door substantially between the lower edge of said body portion and said sheathing, said shoulders on said door engaging and compressing said sealing means in the closed position of said door to seal the upper and lower margins of said door opening, means for sealing the vertical margins of said door opening and means for operating said lifting mechanism to elevate said door, whereby said door may be moved to open position.

7. In a railway house car having a door opening in a side thereof and a track, downwardly and outwardly inclined shoulders provided on said car side above and below said opening, compressible sealing means disposed upon said shoulders, a sliding door for closing said opening, shoulders provided on said door confronting said first mentioned shoulders in the closed position of said door, means secured to said car overlapping said door, said door in its final closing movement moving downwardly, said door shoulders engaging and compressing said sealing means during such movement to seal the upper and lower margins of said door opening and said means engaging said door whereby to suspend said door between said upper shoulder on the car side and said means, means for elevating and supporting said door for movement upon said track and means for sealing the vertical margins of said door opening, cooperating means secured to said car and to the'vertical margins of said door having overlapping engagement in the closed position of said door to maintain said seals for the margins of said door opening.

8. A sliding insulated door for refrigerator cars, said door having shoulders adjacent the upper and lower edges thereof extending inwardly from the inner face of said door, said shoulders being substantially equal in length to the length of said door and being related to a door opening adapted to be controlled by said door so as to lie respectively above and below said door opening.

9. A sliding insulated door for refrigerator cars, said door having shoulders adjacent the upper and lower edge thereof extending inwardly from the inner face of said door, said shoulders being substantially equal in length to the length of said door, the upper shoulder being inclined laterally and upwardly and the lower shoulder being inclined laterally and downwardly.

10. A sliding insulated door for refrigerator cars, said door having shoulders adjacent the upper and lower edge thereof extending inwardly from the inner face of said door, said shoulders being substantially equal in length to the length of said door and being inclined longitudinally, the upper shoulder inclining downwardly and the lower shoulder inclining upwardly from the front edge of said door.

11. In a railway house car having a side formed with a door opening, outwardly directed shoulders provided on said car above and below said opening, a sliding door for closing said opening, means supporting said door for sliding movement, inwardly directed shoulders provided on said door adjacent the upper and lower edges thereof, the upper door shoulder lying above the upper car shoulder and the lower door shoulder lying below the upper oar shoulder in the closed position of said door, compressible sealing means cooperating with said shoulders in the closed position of said door to seal the upper and lower margins of said opening and means for sealing the vertical margins of said door opening.

12. In a railway house car having a side formed with a door opening, outwardly directed shoulders provided on said car side above and below said opening, said upper shoulder being inclined longitudinally downwardly and said lower shoulders being inclined longitudinally upwardly from the front vertical margin of said door opening, a slidable door for closing said opening, means supporting said door for sliding movement, inwardly directed shoulders provided on said door adjacent the upper and lower edges thereof, the upper door shoulder lying above and being similarly inclined to the upper car shoulder and the lower door shoulder lying below and being similarly inclined to the lower car shoulder in the closed position of said door, compressible sealing means cooperating with said shoulders in the closed position of said door to seal the upper and lower margins of said door opening and means for sealing the vertical margins of said opening.

13. In a railway house car having a side formed with a door opening, outwardly directed shoulders provided on said car side above and below said opening, said upper shoulder being inclined longitudinally downwardly and said lower shoulder being inclined longitudinally upwardly from the front vertical margin of said door opening, a sliding door for closing said opening, means supporting said door for sliding movement, inwardly directed shoulders provided on said door adjacent the upper and lower edges thereof, the upper door shoulder lying above and being similarly inclined to the upper car shoulder and the lower door shoulder lying below and being similarly inclined to the lower car shoulder in the closed position of said door, said upper car and door shoulders being downwardly and outwardly inclined and said lower car and door shoulders being downwardly and inwardly inclined, compressible sealing means cooperating with said shoulders in the closed position of said door to seal the upper and lower margins of said door opening, means for sealing the vertical margins of said opening and means for preventing outward movement of said door in the closed posi tion thereof.

14. A sliding insulated door for refrigerator cars, a shoulder provided on said door extending outwardly from the inner face thereof and a vertically spaced shoulder providedon said door extending inwardly from the inner face of said door.

15. A sliding insulated door for refrigerator cars, a shoulder provided on said door extending outwardly from the inner face thereof and a vertically spaced shoulder provided on said door extending inwardly from the inner face of said door, said shoulders being similarly longitudinally inclined.

16. A sliding insulated door for refrigerator cars, an upwardly and outwardly directed shoulder provided on said door extending outwardly from the inner face thereof and a vertically spaced inwardly and downwardly directed shoulder provided on said door extending inwardly from the inner face of said door.

17. In a railway house or car having a side formed with a. door opening and a track secured adjacent said opening, shoulders provided on said car above and below said opening similarly inclined longitudinally of said car, a sliding door supported upon said track for closing said opening, similarly inclined shoulders provided on said door positioned below and confronting said car shoulders in the closed position of said door, sealing means disposed between said car and door shoulders in the said position of the door, cooperating means effective in the closing movement of said door to elevate said door and establish sealing engagement between said shoulders and said sealing means to seal the upper and lower margins of said door opening and means for sealing the vertical margins of said opening.

18. In a railway house car having aside formed with a door opening and a track secured adjacent said opening, shoulders provided on said car above and below said opening, a sliding door supported upon said track for closing said opening, shoulders provided on said door positioned below and confrontingsaid car shoulders in the closed position of said door, sealing means disposed between said car and door shoulders in the said position of the door, cooperating means effective in the closing movement of said door to elevate said door and establish sealing engagement between said shoulders and said sealing means to seal the upper and lower margins of said door opening and means for sealing the vertical margins of said opening.

19 In a railway house car having a side formed with a door opening and a track secured adjacent said opening, downwardly and outwardly inclined shoulders provided on said car side, a sliding lift door supported upon said track, downwardly and outwardly inclined shoulders provided on'said door lying above and confronting said car shoulders in the closed position of said door, sealing means carried by said shoulders, said door being lowered to establish engagement between said car shoulders. and said sealing means. when said door is closed and means for sealing the vertical margins of said door opening.

20. In a railway house car having a door opening in the side thereof, shoulders provided on said car side around said opening, a door slidable longitudinally parallel to said car between open and closed positions, said door having upper and lower shoulders extending substantially between the vertical edges of the door and vertical shoulders extending substantially between said upper and lower shoulders, said shoulders provided on said door being disposed in confronting relationship to said first mentioned shoulders in the closed position of said door and sealing means interposed between and engaging said confronting shoulders in the closed position of said door.

21. In a railway house car having a door opening in the side thereof, a door slidable longitudinally parallel to said car between open and closed positions, cooperating shoulders provided on said car side and said door above and below said door opening, said shoulders being substan engaged by the other shoulders of each pair in the closed position of said door to seal the upper and lower edges of the door, and means for sealing the vertical edges of said door.

CARL E. EKLIND. 

